The Flag

From East Volusia (News-journal), Sunday, November 30, 2008:

Holly Hill to proudly fly new city flag by S. Burdette, Correspondent

HOLLY HILL -- Who needs consultants and high-priced graphic artists to design your city's flag when you have access to 132 talented students from Holly Hill's elementary and middle schools? Holly Hill didn't. When the city decided to have a flag designed, they asked students at the two schools to submit their best ideas and the children did not disappoint the City Commission. After sifting through 132 entries from the students in a "design the city flag" contest,
commissioners chose the design submitted by Travis Myers, an eighth-grader at Holly Hill Middle School. Myers and two other finalists were honored at the commission meeting Tuesday, where the new flag was unveiled.

The contest was the brainchild of Commissioner John Penny. The city had wanted to fly the American flag at half-staff to honor the passing of Holly Hill Utilities Supervisor Ray Beltrami but learned it would run afoul of the often-violated
United States Flag Code, which outlines specific circumstances under which the flag can fly at half-staff. They could, however, legally fly a city flag at half-staff but until now, didn't have a flag to fly. "All the kids did a great
job," Penny said. "Some fantastic designers." "There is going to be a first, second and third place but they're all winners," added Mayor Roland Via as he handed out the awards.
[...]
The new flag measures 5 feet by 8 feet. It cost about $250 to make the first one but Penny pointed out the city saved on
design fees by using the creative talents of the students. City Manager Tim Harbuck says they will probably order two more for inside City Hall, including one for the commission chambers. Harbuck would also like to make them available for sale to the public so businesses can fly them in front of their stores but he has not yet worked out the details on how that might work."